Juan tried to control himself but failed. Often. No place was off limits. He and Julia made love on the cold basement floor, the closet, even the bed she shared with Louis. The risk of getting caught made these encounters even more intense. Once their affair was almost discovered when Ricardo walked past the closet and paused after hearing them. Juan thanked God when Ricardo did not open the door.
Before long, Juan became jealous. Even though she was Louis' wife, the thought of him touching her infuriated Juan. She reassured him her sex life with Louis was nonexistent but there were moments when he contemplated taking Louis' life.
One evening, Juan was sitting in Louis limo, waiting for his weekly rendezvous with his latest mistress to be over. Juan checked his watch; it would be at least another hour before Louis was done.
A knock on the car window startled him.
"Good evening, Juan." It was Alfonzo Gomez.
Juan lowered the window. "Can I help you?"
"Juan, you have been very loyal to President Silvay."
"Yes," Juan said.
"Have you ever heard the phrase 'All is fair in love and war'?"
"Yes. Why?"
Mr. Gomez stepped closer. "There's a war in Paraguay. I believe the country would be better off without him, and vice versa. He only cares about himself and his family, with maybe the exception of his lonely, miserable wife."
Gomez handed Juan an envelope. Juan slowly took it and opened it. Photos of himself and Julia in compromising positions spilled out.
"Where did you get these?" Juan whispered.
"Silvay is not the only person to have eyes and ears working for him around the country."
Juan's eyes narrowed.
Gomez pointed at the photos in Juan's hands. "I'm at war and you, my friend, are in love."
Juan crumpled the photos.
Gomez chuckled. "I have duplicates, of course."
"What do you want?"
"I want you to kill President Silvay."
"No."
"Unfortunately, you don't have a say in the matter. Either you kill him, or he will kill you and his wife when he sees the photos."
Juan looked at one of the photos, featuring Julia smiling joyfully in his arms. She didn't smile like that with Louis.
"Do we have a deal, my friend?" Mr. Gomez asked.
Juan nodded.